They are mostly in the mountain ranges north of Colombia's capital, Bogota. This area is full of gold mines and coca plantations. The the ELN taxes peasants on their mining profits. It does not, unlike the FARC tax peasants on coca plantations. Their commander Nicolas Bautista says they don't want to get involved in narco-trafficking.

In 1998 and 1999 the ELN conducted a series of attacks. It
sabotaged an oil pipeline which exploded and killed 100 people. It hijacked a plane then kidnapped 150 people worshipping in a mass. This is why they do not have much support at the moment